Myiasis after study trip to French Guiana.

Cutaneous myiasis is usually a harmless tropical disease caused by infestation with larvae from a variety of flies. Because of its rare occurrence in Europe, it is often misdiagnosed. Increased travel to tropical regions has correspondingly increased the number of cases observed in Europe.

TGF-beta-dependent suppressive function of Tregs requires wild-type levels of CD18 in a mouse model of psoriasis.

Dysfunctional Tregs have been identified in individuals with psoriasis. However, their role in the pathogenesis of the disease remains unclear. Here we explored the effect of diminished CD18 (beta2 integrin) expression on the function of CD4+CD25+CD127(-) Tregs using the Cd18 hypomorphic (Cd18hypo) PL/J mouse model of psoriasis that closely resembles the human disease.

The role of C5a in the innate immune response after experimental blunt chest trauma.

The inflammatory response after severe blunt chest trauma often leads to acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome which are associated with high mortality rates. Whereas the role of innate immunity in acute lung injury has been broadly investigated, the immune response after blunt chest trauma is still poorly understood. Therefore, the role of complement and neutrophils was determined in bilateral lung injury induced by a single blast wave.

The role of complement, C5a and its receptors in sepsis and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome.

Sepsis continues to be a major clinical problem that is difficult to treat, as the pathophysiology of the disease is still unclear. Despite promising experimental strategies, therapeutic interventions have been largely unsuccessful. There is now increasing evidence that the disturbance of innate immunity during sepsis and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) may be linked to uncontrolled activation of the complement system.

Changes in the novel orphan, C5a receptor (C5L2), during experimental sepsis and sepsis in humans.

Sepsis is associated with extensive complement activation, compromising innate immune defenses, especially in neutrophils (PMN). Recently, a second C5a receptor (C5L2) was detected on PMN without evidence of intracellular signaling. The current study was designed to determine changes in C5L2 in blood PMN during sepsis.